Weingut Gold ‘Pink Gold’

A rosé of one week macerated Trollinger grapes from 45 year old vines in Swabia, Germany. A rocket ripping through red fruit stratospheres. We dig heavy on this punchy ruby red grapefruit, cherry gummy, strawberry melange with a mineral-dry finish as pleasant as a magic hour breeze floating through a field of wild roses. A great bottle to beat the hell out of the gray days of the Chicago winter or celebrate under the warmth of the summer sun. Last time we struck Gold, our friends at All Together Now had it on their tower of power.

Edelzwicker by Bruno Schueller

The Edelzwicker is a low key banger hailing from Alsace. Comes in liter format, and honestly we wish there was more in the bottle because once you open it, it's gonna finish just as fast. Great acidity, beautiful color, the nose and aromas on this are incredible. Schueller's wines are all impressive, but the liter format and low $20's steal of a price is what makes this one such a great "table wine."

Hudelot Passetoutgrain

First up is the Hudelot-Baillet Bourgogne Passetoutgrains 2019. For Burgundy and Beaujolais lovers, Passetoutgrains will usually be a blend of both regions' most widely planted grapes, Gamay and Pinot Noir. They're both thin-skinned varietals - Gamay showing more fruit characteristics while Pinots from this region have more earth-driven qualities while also maintaining fruit notes. What I think is neat about these wines is that all fruit is fermented together and starts with carbonic maceration— a fermentation method seen a lot in Beaujolais where carbon dioxide is released into the fermentation vessel creating an anaerobic environment— and finishes with a classic fermentation style.

This method produces a lighter-colored wine with less tannins and more ripe fruit on the palate - she's juicy y'all! It's the best of both regions, honestly, and is extremely food-friendly. Because of the low acid and tannin, it's also perfectly fine on its own and lightly chilled, won't break the bank, and makes for a great nightcap. Wines of Burgundy can get a bit pricey, but Passetoutgrain styles are usually more approachable and affordable for both red and white wine lovers.

Es d'Aqui, M&M Rouge

Varieties: Muscat, Mouvedre

(Vic's pick) this is one of my favorite wines (I've bought no less than half a case for myself in the last year) from my favorite region (Roussillon, France) super approachable but still refined. It's a wine that both my friends who are new to natural wine or not much of wine drinkers as well as wine snob have all loved. Floral on the nose and way earthy - this guy will run you $28 to $30 bucks and it will be on our site soon. We've actually been waiting for a shipment of these for a few months now (supply chain issues yada yada) but will hopefully arrive next month. You can also find it at local shops Red & White and Diversey from time to time.

Bichi Wines Pet Mex

Varietal: UNKNOWN?!

(David's pick) Bichi is my favorite producer because everything they make has something unexpected in taste, and yet they simply never miss. Their Pet Mex is made from a 69 year old vineyard comprised of a "mysterious grape variety that remains unidentified" in Baja.

You can taste all your favorite summer fruits and veggies in here - watermelon, strawberry, cucumber. It's got a nice mellow fizz, soft mouth feel, tastes like a healthy kombucha-y juice; not just refreshing but literally hydrating.

For research purposes, I drank this wine at 9 am once and I felt like I was drinking any other morning juice, except I was having way more fun. Highly quaffable, impossible not to take a sip and smile immediately after. I try to have a bottle of this on hand as often as possible but it's kind of hard to track down, especially in Chicago, I imagine because everyone else is trying to do the same (and for good reason). Your best bet would be All Together Now or Easy Does It.

Riesling

I know, I know, you don't like Riesling. Here's the thing though, you probably do. We've all had shitty Riesling experiences. It was too sweet and out of balance, it smelled like gas (not the good kind), your annoying neighbor brought it to that dinner party with a pinky up. We’re not talking about those Rieslings. Think about Riesling as a shaken cocktail, like a daiquiri, sugar is balanced by acid. Look for the word “trocken” aka dry. There’s a bit more sugar here than your standard dry wine, but racy acidity balances things out. A good bottle of riesling can last a week in the fridge no problem and it pairs with a long list of cuisine including spicier food. Look out for Vom Boden on the back label. Beurer, JB Becker, and Stein are a few of my go-tos from them.

Istrian Malvazija

A specific variety of Malvasia that is called 'Malvazija Istarska' is native to the Croatian peninsula of Istria sitting just below Slovenia, directly on the northern point of the Adriatic Sea. A distinctive place worth traveling to for its stunning coastal settings, gastronomy (notably the olive oil), hospitality, and overall affordability.

This indigenous variety commonly sees some, usually short, skin maceration, but for some reason, the wines never take on the personality of orange wine. It's notably aromatic but less so than Muscat, also found in the region. The wines are extremely drinkable and have their own personalities from producer to producer. Kozlovic is a benchmark but if you can find Clai's 'Baracija' or Piquentum, they will really grab your attention and won't let go.

Chanrion Cote de Brouilly (2019)

Nicole Chanrion works her land by herself and has since 1988. This Cru Beaujolais is an extremely reliable addition to most dinner tables. Tons of red fruits, a little spice, really pure beaujolais that is impossible to beat for the price. $26 at All Together Now.